


Mother's Day

by ItsyBitsyBatsySpider



Category: Shazam! (2019)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 09:10:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18797314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsyBitsyBatsySpider/pseuds/ItsyBitsyBatsySpider
Summary: It's Billy's first Mother's Day with a real mother, and he doesnt know how to handle it.





	Mother's Day

_ The bond between mother and son is a special one.  _

_ It is the purest love, unconditional and true _

_ It is understanding of any situation  _

_ and forgiving of any mistake _

 

MONDAY

 

Mother’s Day. 

 

Billy Batson’s least favorite holiday. 

 

Because while it was a day for celebrating mothers, it was also a day where he was reminded that he didn't have a mom of his own. So he did his best every year to forget the holiday, can’t feel bad about something if you forget it. Or at least that was his reasoning. 

 

Which was why when he got a message in a family group chat, minus Rosa, he was utterly confused as to what they were saying. He had felt the phone vibrate in his pocket and took it out in the middle of the school hallway, with a few people grumbling as he stopped walking.

 

**_Victor V_ ** **_: Plans for next Sunday. Anyone have any ideas?_ **

**_Computer Boy_ ** **_: We can get flowers and make waffles._ **

**_Hero Manager:_ ** **_what about brkfst in bed???_ **

**_Caltech:_ ** **_thats so cliche @freddyfreeman. Lets do something different_ ** **_._ ** **_I was thinking we could go to the park._ **

**_Victor V:_ ** **_that sounds like a good idea. But what about gifts. I was thinking we could make presents this year. Thoughts?_ **

 

Confused, Billy began to type out a message and sent it into the group chat. Completely oblivious as to what they were saying.

 

**_Billy:_ ** **_im sorry but whatre we talking about? Im confuzzled._ **

**_Big Guns:_ ** **_mothers day_ **

 

Billy’s breath hitched. 

 

**_Billy:_ ** **_…. Oh_ **

**_Hero Manager:_ ** **_i think making gifts sound good. Hard...but good._ **

**_Victor V:_ ** **_Great! Remember to keep sunday open! No other plans. Got it?_ **

**_Hero Manager:_ ** **_yup_ **

**_Caltech:_ ** **_uh huh_ **

**_Big Guns:_ ** **_yes_ **

**_Computer Boy:_ ** **_got it_ **

**_Billy:_ ** **_uh, okay. Sure._ **

 

Billy pocketed his phone, feeling his fingers shake slightly and his heart drop. Make presents? For Mother’s Day? Those were the two worst things Billy had heard all day. He rubbed his hands together nervously and continued on his way to class, stumbling here or there as he thought about Sunday. The thought of making a gift lurking in his mind for the rest of the day.

 

* * *

TUESDAY 

 

“Hey, Freddy?” Billy whispered. 

 

The two boys were sitting in their rooms, Freddy reading a book on his bed and Billy playing some guitar with Trashcan watching, when Billy decided to talk to his brother. Maybe he could help the brunet come up with something to give to Rosa. 

 

“Yeah, Billy?” 

 

“What’re you gonna do for Mother’s Day?”

 

Freddy flipped a page. “Hmm, I was thinking maybe joining in with what Darla was doing. She always does good gifts, even if they are a little cheesy. Why? Are you having trouble coming up with your thing?”

 

“Yeah,” Billy sighed. “I really have no clue what to make. What do you think everyone else is doing?”

 

“I think I overheard Pedro mention something about a mixtape, but I'm not sure.” 

 

Billy hummed, trying to think of anything that that idea might inspire. He came up with nothing. 

 

“What about Mary?” 

 

Freddy flipped a page. “She'll probably do the usual thing and take Rosa out for a nice dinner or brunch. She does those kind of gifts.” 

 

“Yeah, well as great of an idea that is, I'm broke.” 

 

The dark-haired boy set down his book and strained his neck to look at Billy. “What? You serious? What happened to all of that money you got from being a douchebag? Did you already spend all of it!?” 

 

Billy shrunk behind his guitar and nodded. He really didn't know where all of his money went, but it was all gone now. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten that iced coffee last week. 

 

“Geeze man.” Freddy sighed, his voice unbelieving. 

 

“Shut up, Freeman. And besides, I'm glad to be rid of it.”

 

“Why on earth would you not want money?” Freddy asked confused. 

 

“It was just the way I got it. You know, being a douche and making people pay me for stupid stuff. In a weird sense, I’m glad it’s all gone.” 

 

The raven shrugged. “Whatever man. I still don't get it, but okay.” 

 

Billy smirked and continued playing tabs, having forgotten his original question. 

 

* * *

THURSDAY

 

“Hey Mary?”

 

“Yeah Billy?” the older girl replied. 

 

“What're you gonna do for Mother's Day?” he asked. Mother's Day was three days away and Billy still had no idea what to do for a gift. He had forgotten about it, surprisingly, until half and hour ago when Darla mentioned something about a Hug Coupon for Rosa. Then, he had that same thought that everyone had when they forgot something important...

 

_ Oh shit.  _

 

So for the past half hour, he tried to come up with something, but alas he still had the same luck as when he was with Freddy. But then he remembered what Freddy had said, about Mary being good at giving gifts, so he sought out his foster sister, finding her in her room doing some last minute homework and extra credit assignments. 

 

If anyone would know what to give Rosa, it'd be her. 

 

“Well,” she began to answer. “I was thinking of going to brunch with Rosa. There's this nice little place we went to for one of our first outings together and it's a good memory. So i thought that'd be nice. Why?”

 

Billy stood awkwardly in her doorway and began to rub his hands together. “Well, I just need some help….coming up with something.”

 

“Sure! I'd be happy to help. What were you thinking?”

 

Billy stared at Mary. “Uhm, nothing? That's kinda why im here.”

 

The girl gave her foster sibling a look and closed her books, giving Billy her full attention. 

 

“Well, do you want to go somewhere? Like an activity? Or do you wanna give her an actual gift?” 

 

“Eh, neither? I don't have any money, soooo I’m pretty limited.” 

 

Mary pursed her lips, thinking. “You can make her something.”

 

Billy groaned in frustration “Yeah, but I don't know  _ what _ !” 

 

“Okay, chill! No need to get all freaked out.” 

 

Billy ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly as he did so. “I'm sorry, I just…I've never done this before.” 

 

“What? Make a present?” Mary said, a playful smirk on her face

 

“...Mothers Day.” 

 

The smirk faded. “Oh. Right” she said as she remembered...that. 

 

Billy's mom. 

 

And she made the connection as to why her brother wouldn't like this particular holiday. 

 

“I just… I don't know what to do. All the years i've spent in the foster system, I never had a foster mom that I  _ really  _ liked before and actually thought of as a mom. But now that i do, i'm just… i'm just clueless.” 

 

It was quiet for a moment before a slow smile crept onto Mary's face. Billy looked at her confused, his face scrunching up in a way that his sister found endearing. 

 

“What?” he asked. 

 

“You think of Rosa as a mom?” she said in a light voice. Billy's confusion vanished and he blushed in embarrassment, wishing that he hadn't said that otherwise he wouldn't be getting teased right now. 

 

“Kinda.” 

 

Mary's smile widened and Billy had to physically stop himself from running out of the doorway. He still needed his sisters help, regrettably. 

 

Then all of a sudden Mary stood up and walked towards Billy. 

 

“Come here.” she said. Billy's face scrunched up again, but not in confusion but in distaste.

 

“No.”

 

“Come on.”

 

“No.”

 

“Please?”

 

“No!”

 

“Pretty please?” 

 

“No.”

 

“Eh, too late.”

 

She pulled Billy into a slow hug that he reluctantly accepted, and rested her head on the top of Billy's hair, his face still scrunched up at the physical affection. He wasn't a huggy person and everyone knew it, but he tolerated it anyway. The brunet grumbled in annoyance and Mary smirked. 

 

“You'll think of something.” she said calmly, all teasing gone from her voice. “And Rosa will like it. Trust me, I know it.”

 

Billy grumbled again, still not happy with the hug, or the lack of help, but he prayed to any diety out there that she was right. 

 

* * *

 

SATURDAY

 

Mother's Day was tomorrow, and so far, Mary had only given Billy ideas where he needed money to actually do it. Like a craft or an activity or actually buy a gift. So that was kind of a bust, but it was nice to know that Mary was willing to help Billy if he ever needed it. He had spent the previous day racking his brain for any ideas, but alas had come up with nothing.

 

What were you supposed to get/make for the one woman in your life who you ever thought of as a mother? 

 

Billy had no clue. 

 

So when he had approached Freddy again about ideas, Darla said that he could join in on their Hug Coupon. But Freddy shot it down, saying that he and Eugene were already piggy-backing on that gift, and it would be suspicious if Billy suddenly hopped on too. Plus, they ran out of room on the card. 

 

Billy’s shoulders dropped and he mumbled how he understood. It made sense, because if four people out of six decided to do the same gift, it wouldn't be all that special. Plus it also meant that Billy would have to give Rosa a free pass at a hug, wherever and whenever she wanted. So maybe that was for the best. 

 

So he went upstairs to his room and lied down on Freddy's bunk, not feeling the energy to climb the ladder, and stapled his fingers together, trying to think. 

 

He could write a song for Rosa. But he didn't have enough time to figure out chords and lyrics for one. 

 

He could go get flowers for her. But again he had no money and he wasn't willing to borrow some from his siblings. 

 

He could make an appearance as Shazam and claim that ‘Billy’ got him to come wish Rosa a happy Mothers Day. But that'd be stupid and too much work to explain. 

 

He could make breakfast in bed like Freddy suggested a couple days ago. But Billy didn't know how to cook for shit. He fucking burned water one time.

 

He could draw her a nice picture. But that was lame and he didn't know how to draw. 

 

He could writer her a card. But he wanted to do something a bit more special than a piece of paper.

 

He could…...do something. But he couldn't think of anything. 

 

The boy groaned and dragged his hands down his face. This was really hard. He had absolutely no idea what to do and time was running out. 

 

He gripped his hair in his hands and stared at the bottom on his bunk bed. Hopefully Mary was right, and he would think of something. 

 

“Hey dude, what the hell are you doing on my bed?” the brunet heard Freddy say from the doorway. Billy glanced at his brother and consciously decided to be snarky. 

 

“I’m taking a fucking nap. What does it look like I’m doing?”

 

“Having an existential crisis.”

 

...

 

“That too.”

 

Freddy limped into the room and walked over to his desk, sitting down in the chair. He turned on the computer and waited for the old crappy thing to load. 

 

“Hey quick question. If you can turn into an adult superhero, does that mean you’re gonna have a midlife crisis when your, like, seventeen or something? Because that kinda makes sense doesn't it?”

 

Billy was quiet for a second, before sighing in annoyance. “Dammit Freddy, now I really am having an existential crisis. Why the hell did you bring that up!?” 

 

The curly-haired boy shrugged. 

 

“And wouldn't that mean the same thing for you too? Since you can use ‘shazoom’ too?” Billy asked. Freddy smirked knowingly and turned to his computer. 

 

“Well since I don't know when the middle of my life is, i've just decided to have an ongoing crisis. And so far that's working.”

 

Billy scoffed. “Weirdo.”

 

“Yeah, but it takes one to know one.”

 

“Shut up!” 

 

Bill picked up the pillow behind him and chucked it at the raven haired boy, who simply laughed at his brother. 

 

* * *

 

SUNDAY 

 

It was Sunday. Mother's Day. 

 

The day that Billy had been dreading all week. 

 

He had tried to come up with something, anything, for this day and for Rosa, but sadly, he had come up with nothing. 

 

So that morning, while he was laying in his bed staring wide eyed at the ceiling, the brunet made the childish decision that he was going to avoid Rosa all day. He didn't have a gift to give, so he'd just avoid her until it was time to go to bed. Simple, right?

 

Except it wasn't that simple. Because from the second Billy left his room, heading down to breakfast, he knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid this holiday. 

 

Because for one, there were flowers on the table, nice plates and silverware were set out, and a clean white table cloth was donned on the table. Mary and Victor milled around the kitchen, finishing up a delicious breakfast that smelled suspiciously of waffles and scrambled eggs. 

 

Darla suddenly ran up to Billy and gave him a rib-crushing hug, knocking the wind out of the sleepy teen, and looked up at him with a large smile on her face. 

 

“It’s Mother’s Day!” she exclaimed. Billy gulped, a frog sitting in his throat. 

 

“Yup, it sure is.” 

 

She withdrew from Billy and darted over to one of the chairs, sitting down and leaving behind a very nervous brother. The brunet felt a soft hand on his shoulder and he flinched at the contact, looking up at whoever it was with big green eyes. 

 

“Hey,” Mary said. “Were you ever able to come up with something?” 

 

Billy shifted his gaze to the floor, suddenly finding the wood grain very interesting and wordlessly he stepped out of Mary’s reach, shuffling over to his chair. He sat down and began to fidget with his fingers. Mary watched him, an understanding look in her eyes as she turned around and finished cutting up strawberries.

 

A heavy feeling settled in Billy’s stomach and suddenly he couldn’t think straight. He was panicking, because what if Rosa was disappointed that he didn’t get her a gift. Would she be mad? Would she be sad? Would she not talk to him? Would she become distant from him? Would she think that he didn’t care about her enough to get her a present? 

 

“Billy?” the brunet heard someone say, his eyes shot up to find Freddy looking at him funny. “You okay dude?” his brother asked. Billy opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment, Darla screamed. 

 

“Happy Mother’s Day Rosa!” 

 

Billy turned to look at the dining room entrance, to see Darla giving his foster mother a hug identical to the one she had given him earlier that morning.  

 

“Aw thank you Darla! You guys!” she exclaimed when she saw the dining table lain with waffles, eggs, coffee, orange juice and flowers. “Did you do all of this?” 

 

“Mary and Victor did breakfast. But you’re other presents are coming later! We all came up with something to give you!” Darla explained, her explanation putting a sick feeling in Billy’s stomach. 

 

“That’s so kind of you guys. Well, why don’t we eat. This all looks amazing!” Rosa said. She took her seat up by the front, and everyone sat down. Freddy sat across from Billy, and everyone took their respectful thoughts. Billy briefly wondered when Eugene and Pedro had entered the room, but he brushed it aside. He had more things to worry about other than when his foster siblings came down the stairs. 

 

The family had been eating breakfast for about five minutes before Darla couldn’t hold it in anymore and she gave her gift to Rosa, sticking her arm out and putting the card right in her face. Rosa jumped, but smiled nonetheless. Taking the card, she opened it and read outloud the cheesy, yet thoughtful card. 

 

“ ‘And here is a free hug coupon that you can use anytime.’” she read. “Sincerely, Darla… and Eugene...and Freddy.” Rosa looked up from the card and smirked at the boys, who had a mockingly proud look on their face. They knew their ‘gift’ was cheesy, and they knew she knew they had hopped onto the coupon thing at the last minute, but Billy could tell that she still loved it anyway.  

 

Then she opened up Mary’s card next and gave the girl a hug once she had read it. Thanking her for the great gift of brunch, and smiling a bright and beaming smile. 

 

Billy stared at his food as he thought about how disappointed she’d be when he didn’t give her a gift. He didn’t want to be the cause of that smile disappearing, so without saying anything, he stood up and took his plate to the sink. 

 

“Billy?” he heard Rosa call out. The boy cringed. “Where’re you going?” 

 

He turned around and looked at his family, who were all staring at him. Mary with a pitying look in her eyes and Freddy looked at him worryingly. Rosa looked at him confused and Darla looked at him with light curiosity. 

 

Billy hated it.

 

“Uhmm-uh, I just, uhm…uh s-sorry.” he barely mumbled before rushing out of the dining room, darting up to his room, skipping every other step with his heart racing. He shut the door harder than he meant to, and groaned loudly. Burying his face in his hands and collapsing against the door. Sitting down at the base of the wood with his knees drawn up and his face still buried. 

 

Billy sat there, trying to even out his breathing and racing heart and quelch his anxiety.  He couldn’t do this. It was too much. He was going to disappoint her and he knew it. Billy glanced up at the room, his eyes drawn to the window. Maybe he really could avoid this day. All he had to do was open the window. 

 

But he abandoned the thought quickly. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t do it, because it was  _ Mother’s Day _ and he would never do that to Rosa. 

 

Someone knocked gently on the door and Billy flinched. He whipped his head around to the door and stayed silent. 

 

“Billy?”  _ Shit. _ “Billy  _ mi amor _ , are you alright?” Rosa was right behind the door and evergreen eyes widened in panic. He couldn’t face her, not right now! 

 

“Uh, uhm yeah! Great! Perfect!” he shouted all too quickly. 

 

The space behind the door was silent for a moment, and in that moment Billy’s heart began to pick up speed again. 

 

“Open the door.” Rosa said. 

 

“Uh…” Billy hesitated. 

 

“Billy,” his foster mom said softly. “Please open the door.” 

 

The boy ducked his head, and resigned himself. He wasn’t going to get out of this, and he knew it. “Okay.” he said. He stood up from the ground and dusted himself off before cracking open the door a little bit, a concerned yet stern looking Rosa on the other side. Billy went to go sit on Freddy’s bed and drew his knees back up to his chest. His foster mom entered the room and came and sat beside Billy on the bed, looking at her son.

 

“What happened downstairs?” she asked. 

 

The brunet began to fiddle with the hem of his pajama shirt and mumbled into his chest. “I- uh, I uhm… I panicked.” 

 

“Why?”

 

The boy was silent. He didn’t want to say why. 

 

“Billy…” she coaxed. Billy looked up a Rosa, a frustrated and defiant look on his face. 

 

“Fine, you wanna know why? I panicked because I didn’t get you a present!” he exclaimed. Rosa looked at him a little startled at the burst, but she still stayed quiet and listened. “I had all week to think of something, and I couldn’t come up with anything and now everyone is giving you such thoughtful gifts, and I have jack SHIT-”

 

“Billy!” 

 

“So, I panicked and ran out because I didn’t want to disappoint you. But you probably are disappointed already, so whatever… it doesn’t matter anymore.” the brunet could feel water well up behind his eyes, but he pushed them down. Forcing them to stay in his eyes where they belonged. During his rant he had turned his attention back to his pajama shirt, so he didn’t know what Rosa’s face looked like. 

 

_ Probably upset.  _ He betted. 

 

But the boy was surprised when he felt a gentle hand cover his, stopping him from fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. He looked up and was stunned to see Rosa looking at him with kindness in her eyes. Her face was expressionless and Billy could tell that she was thinking about something, but he didn’t now what, and that kind of scared him just a little. 

 

“I’m not disappointed in you Billy.” she said. The teen had to stop himself from scoffing. “But I am sad that you would think that.” Billy cast his eyes back down. 

 

“Yeah, well, you know me.” 

 

Rosa gave him a small smile before the thoughtful expression came back onto her face, her eyes flashed with a look that Billy didn’t recognize and the boy suddenly became a little frightened again. 

 

“Actually, I don’t know you all that well.” 

 

“What?” Billy said, confusion and alarm in his voice. Rosa stood up and exited the room, leaving behind a very confused boy and returned with a coat, throwing it on his head. The teen froze for a second before swiping the jacket off of his head and placed it in his lap. 

 

“What?” he repeated. 

 

“Get dressed. There’s been a change of plans.”

 

“Okay? Where are we going?” 

 

Rosa got a sly smile on her face and she turned and left, going back to her room to get dressed for the day. “You’ll see when we get there!” 

 

Billy’s face scrunched up in it’s adorable confused look, before he glanced to his drawers. He sighed and got up.  _ Might as well. This can’t get any worse.  _ He thought. 

 

* * *

 

“Okay? Why are we here?” Billy asked when Rosa pulled up to a malt shop by the beach. Rosa turned off the car and turned to face her son. 

 

Earlier, when they were at home and while Billy was getting ready to go out, Rosa had talked to Victor and Mary and apparently changed their day plans. So instead of going to the park as a family, it was just Billy and Rosa having a day out and then a movie night at home right after. 

 

Although, why the woman would do this was beyond Billy. He would’ve thought that she’d want to spend this day with everyone and not just him. 

 

“We are here, because I want to get to know my son.” Rosa said. “You said that you weren’t able to come up with anything to give me today, but really, the only gift you could give me right now is this. I want to spend the day with you, and that will be your gift to me. Not some card or elaborate thing, but just you and me spending quality time together. That’s it.” Billy stared at the woman, baffled. 

 

“Deal?” she asked.  

 

Billy was silent for a moment, before a light smile flickered on his face. “Deal.” 

 

* * *

 

Billy and Rosa had spent the whole day together, and although Billy didn’t expect it, he had liked it. He liked it a lot. 

 

They started out with the malt shop, getting ice cream cones and milkshakes at ten in the morning. The person at the counter had given them funny looks when he served them their icy treats, he was definitely judging them for eating ice cream so early in the morning, but neither Billy nor Rosa cared. 

 

Then they parked the car and walked around town, looking at the shops and going into a few of them and buying some stuff. Rosa had gotten a couple of really nice candles and homemade jam. And while Billy tried his best to not be too invested in shopping, since he didn’t want Rosa to buy anything excessive for him, she seemed to read his mind and got him a shirt that he had been eyeing. 

 

“Wait, Rosa you don’t have to get me that.” Billy had said. His foster mom turned to look at the brunet, a smirk on her face. 

 

“Oh come on Billy, it’s my day. And this is my present remember? So if I want to buy you shirt, you’re gonna get a shirt, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” she said. Billy smiled and awkwardly stood to the side as Rosa bought it. 

 

Then after that, they headed down to the beach. The bold blue sky turning into a shade of indigo and the clouds becoming a radiant orange. The water was calm and clear, lapping at the sands and rocks as the two walked down it’s banks, and Rosa made the suggestion of playing a game. Seeing how far they could skip rocks. 

 

It was a simple game that everyone knew how to play, but Billy was more than happy to go along with it. 

 

So they skipped rocks and played the game, with Billy winning and Rosa congratulating him by giving him her last rock. A weird looking green one with a white stripe encircling it. He had stared at it funny and laughed. 

 

“What an amazing trophy. I am truly honored to have this.” he had said sarcastically. Rosa guffawed and feigned hurt. But they both laughed it off and Billy put the rock in his pocket. 

 

By the time they got back to the car, they were both exhausted and their legs felt like noodles. It had been a very long, but a very good, Mother’s Day, and Rosa couldn’t stop her content smile from showing up every five seconds. 

 

This was one of the best days she had had in a long time, and she was beyond happy that she was able to spend it with Billy. Her heart swelled with warmth as she looked at her son in the passenger seat and she turned back to the road, while one of her hands came off the wheel and reached towards Billy. She brushed his brown hair aside and out of the corner of her eye saw a smile come onto his face at the movement. 

 

She knew that Billy wasn’t a huge fan of grand shows of affection, but she did know that he appreciated the small touches. 

 

They pulled up into their driveway and Rosa turned off the car. And they sat there in silence, just taking in the whole day and remembering it fondly before they both entered their home and life started again. 

 

“Thank you for my present Billy. I loved it.” Rosa said. Billy smiled and turned to his foster mother. 

 

“You’re welcome. I loved it too.” 

 

They got out of the car, grins resting on both of their faces, and walked into their house, bags in hand. 

 

“Hey! How was your day out?” Victor asked immediately once he saw them come in. 

 

Rosa set down her bags. “It was great.” she said. “Now what movie are we going to watch?”

 

* * *

 

They ended up watching  _ Up,  _ a timeless classic and one of Rosa’s favorite movies of all time. But when the movie had ended Rosa turned around to see that some of the kids had fallen asleep. Including Billy. 

 

His head had lolled back, mouth open wide and drool started slipping out onto the couch cushions. Rosa had to suppress a laugh, it was such an endearing thing to see. 

 

Along with Billy, was Darla and Eugene who had passed out in the middle of the movie. Mary smirked at her siblings and Pedro, expressionless as always, picked up Eugene and carried him off to bed. As did Mary with Darla. Freddy stood up from the couch, and looked at Billy, a snort escaping him before he covered his mouth with his hands. He turned to Rosa. 

 

“I’ll get him upstairs.” he said. The mother nodded and went upstairs, getting ready to turn in for the night and slipping into her pajamas. Victor joining her after he had helped Freddy put Billy in his bunk bed. 

 

Victor climbed onto his side of the bed, and gestured for Rosa to join him, but before she could she had to do one last thing. 

 

She went out into the hallway and went through all of the kids’ bedrooms, double checking on them and tucking them in if needed. She had just come up to Billy and Freddy’s room and when she opened the door, she saw that Freddy had already kicked off all of his sheets, his good leg hanging off the side of the bed. 

 

The verge of a smile tugged at her lips, and she entered the room picking up the blankets and putting them back on Freddy’s bed, as well as his foot. 

 

After that she looked upwards and peeked through the railings of Billy’s bunk bed, to see that the boy was out cold. And one of his blankets was beginning to fall off of him. 

 

Rosa went and climbed up the ladder a tad, just enough to reach over the railing and fix his blankets, and pulled up the sheet to his shoulder. Her heart melting at the sight of him looking so peaceful. She knew that Billy had had a rough life leading up to this point, and she was sad that she wasn’t able to be there for him when he needed her the most. But in a strange sense, it made her glad that Billy went through all that he had been. Because if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have ended up here with them, in this family. 

 

She wouldn’t have gotten to be his mother. 

 

And Rosa didn’t know where her life would be right now if Billy wasn’t there in it, and to be honest, the thought scared her. She couldn’t picture a life with none of her foster children inside it. So days like these...where she was able to spend all the time in the world with one of her kids, made her heart feel so full and warm. 

 

She gave Billy one more look, before climbing down the ladder. But her hand hit against the railing a bit too hard and a startled gasp filled the air. Rosa looked to the bunk bed and saw Billy sitting up on his elbows, his eyes struggling to stay open, as he tried to find what had caused the noise that had woken him. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Rosa whispered. “It’s just me. It’s okay, just go back to sleep.”

 

The boy didn’t do anything for a moment as he drowsily looked at his foster mother, clearly not fully registering what was happening. He finally nodded and lied back down on his back, curling into himself. 

 

Rosa reached over the rails again and brushed his hair aside in a soothing manner; she didn’t mean to startle him awake. 

 

“Goodnight, Billy.” she hushed. 

 

She climbed down the rest of the ladder, self-conscious of her hands, and stepped out of the room. And when she was just about to close the door behind her, she heard a low, hoarse voice whisper to her something she’ll never forget for as long as she lives…

  
  
  


 

 

 

“Goodnight, mom.” 


End file.
